Flush latch



Sept. 13, 1955 c. G. CUDNEY FLUSH LATCH Filed Feb. 8, 1952 llllllluv y.d i f mn Nw ma 5%/ L W Cw c. G. cuDNEY 2,717,796

FLUSH LATCH Sept. 13, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1952 F25 J5 mn9 BY l , M /TroR/YE/j United States Patent O FLUSH LATCH ApplicationFebruary 8, 1952, Serial No. 270,579 1 Claim. (Cl. 292-229) My inventionrelates to flush latches, that is, to latches which, when closed, aredush with the surface of the door or the like in which they are mounted.Included in the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a heavy duty rugged dush latch which is dependable inits operation, easily manipulated into its latching or nnlatchingpositions, but which maintains its latching position under adverseconditions or vibrational or accelerational forces.

Second, to provide a flush latch which incorporates a novelself-adjusting, self-accommodating latch bearing plate capable ofcompensating for widel tolerance latitudes in other parts of the latchas well as the structure in which the latch is mounted.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of my latch structure takenthrough 1-1 of Figure 10, showing the part in its latched position andindicating fragmentarily adjacent portions of the surrounding doorstructure and frame.

Figure 2 is a sectional View similar to Figure l with the latch andkeeper levers shown in elevation and in their unlatched positions.

Figure 3 is an inside elevational view of the dush latch shown in itslatched position.

Figure 4 is an end View of the latch lever showing particularly thelatch bearing plate.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, partially in plan and partially insection of the latch lever showing a modied form of the latch bearingmember, the view being taken substantially through 5 5 of Figure 7.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof, taken through 6-6 ofFigure 5.

Figure 7 is a partial sectional and partial elevational view thereof,taken through 7-7 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the latch lever takenthrough 8 8 of Figure 9 showing a further modified form of the latchbearing member.

Figure 9 is an end view thereof.

Figure l0 is a reduced outside elevational view showing iragmentarilythe exposed parts of the latch and the surrounding door and adjacentframe.

Reference is rst directed to Figures 1 through 4.

My ilush latch includes a base plate 1 having coplanar marginal portions2 adapted to receive rivets or other securing means for fastening thebase plate to the inside surface of a door or door-like structure A.Opposite the central portion of the base plate, such door structure iscut to form a slot B of such dimensions as to receive the opposedportions of the latch as will be brought out hereinafter. The door ordoor-like structure is intended to set flush in a frame or surroundingsheet metal structure C.

Along the margin of the door structure which receives the flush latch,the adjacent frame is provided with a stop plate D. The base plate 1 isprovided with a longi- 2,71 7', 796 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 tudinal slotextending from one end which corresponds to the slot B in the doorstructure. The base plate slot is bordered by two pair of mounting lugsor danges 3 and 4. The marginal portions 2 of the base plate at theirextremities, remote from the edge of the door are joined Journaledbetween the mounting lugs 3 intermediate 1ts ends on a journal pin 6 isa latch lever 7. The latch lever 1s channel shaped in cross section. Onearm 8 of to extend under the stop plate D.

I'nterposed between the odset arm 9 and the stop plate The sides of theflanges of the odset arm 9 are connected by a transverse mounting pin 12extending parallel with and between the flanges 11 of t e latch bearingmember bearing member. By reason of the connection between the latchbearing member and odset arm of the latch lever adorded by the springs13, the latch bearing member is capable of limited movement to or fromthe odset arm 9 as well as limited tilting movement as indicated by thearrows in Figures l and 4. lt will thus be seen that the latch bearingmember lil is capable of accommodating The second pair of mounting lugs4 receive a journal pin 14 which pivotally supports a keeper lever 15 ofchannel-shaped cross section. The keeper lever is adapted to occupy aflush position in the slot B beyond the ush arm 8 of the latch lever 7.rlihe keeper lever is provided with an odset end 16 which extends underthe cross web 5 of the base plate l. The other end of the latch lever 7is odset slightly to form a catch 17 adapted The extremity of the usharm 8 is also shaped to form a cam element 1S. It will Operation of thedush latch is as follows:

The spring 19 tends to force the latch lever 7 into its right-angularportion shown in Figure 2, and to hold the keeper lever l5 in its flushportion shown in solid lines in Figure 2. However, the latch lever maybe rotated counterclockwise against the force of the spring 19 to causethe cam element i8 to engage the adjacent end of the keeper lever anddisplace the lever until clear of the mal position and restrams thelatch lever 1n its flush, position as shown in Figure 1. By pressinginwardly on the keeper lever, the latch lever may be freed.

As pointed out hereinbefore, the latch bearing member 10 accommodatesitself to the stop D irrespective of substantial misalignment orinaccuracies in the mounting of the `ush latch or 'inaccuracies due tovariations in the dimensions of the parts of the location of theirpivotal axes.

Reference is directed to Figures 5, 6 and 7. In this construction, thelatch lever 7 is provided with a modified latch bearing member 31. Thismember is channelshaped in cross section and is provided with lateralstop lips 32. The latch bearing member 31 extends outwardly through aslot in the extremity of the lever 7 and is limited in its outwardmovement by the stop lips 32. Secured between the flange sides of thelatch lever 7 by means of a cross pin 33 is a cross bar 34. The crossbar is provided with a central socket 35 which receives a coil spring36. The coil spring extends into and urges the latch bearing member 31outwardly. lt will be observed that the latch bearing member 31 fitsrelatively loosely in the slot provided in the latch lever 7 so that itis capable of limited universal movement as in the first describedstructure.

Reference is now directed to Figures 8 and 9. In the construction hereillustrated, the latch lever 7 is provided with a circular aperturewhich receives a cylindrical latch bearing member 4-1 having a head 42at its outer end. Opposite from the head 42 and within the latch lever7, the bearing member is provided with an annular groove 43 whichreceives the bifurcated end of a leaf spring 44. The -leaf spring isprovided with reverse folds 45 and 46, the fold 46 passing around andfulcrumed on the spring 20 which surrounds the shaft 6. The leaf spring44 continues to form an arm 47 which bears against the latch lever 7.-lt will be observed that the latch bearing member 41 is capable oflimited universal movement and may be depressed as in the case ofpreviously described structures.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that l donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A flush latch adapted to be set in an accommodation opening provided 'ina door-like structure for engagement with a surrounding frame, thecombination of: tandem disposed latch and keeper levers of channelcrosssection adapted to occupy coplanar closed positions flush with thesurface of door-like structure and angular open position; said keeperlever being pivoted at one end and including a lip at its extended endrestrained by said doorlike structure when said keeper lever is in itsclosed position, and a latch lever retaining means spaced radially fromits journaled end', said latch lever being pivoted intermediate its endsto form opposed arms, one arm terminating in a lip adapted to it undersaid retaining means when the keeper lever is in its closed position,said rctaining means adapted to clear said latch lever when said keeperlever is in its open position, the other arm of said latch lever beingoffset and adapted to extend under and confront said frame', arectangular aperture in the offset arm of said latch lever; a bearingmember of channel cross-section and having laterally directed stop lipsat the extremities of its anges, said bearing member extending throughsaid aperture and limited by said stop lips; a cross pin carried by theoffset arm of said latch lever in registry with said aperture; and acoil compression spring extending from said cross pin and into saidlatch bearing member to permit limited universal movement of saidbearing member relative to said latch lever, thereby to compensate -formaladjustment between said latch lever and said frame.

References 'Cited 'inthe iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

